Anton Gautama began taking pictures with a mobile phone. Since 2015 he has been working professionally as photographer with a passionate focus on documentary photography. He believes that the essence of the medium is the ability to help us understand life. Gautama seeks unique moments that generate powerful emotional responses. With patience and determination, the photographer often immerses himself for months at a single location pursuing his photographic observations.

The photographs from Anton Gautama have been featured and exhibited in several on-line, printed magazine platforms, galleries, and photo festivals since 2016.

The Outsider is the last part of my trilogy project where previously I published two books, namely: Pabean Passage and Home Sweet Home. Pabean Passage tells a century-old market in Surabaya, where I spent my childhood. Home Sweet Home showcases the interior of Chinese-Indonesian houses in Makassar and Surabaya – where I spent my adolescence. The Outsider offers an outlook towards my life as an adult.

Born as a fourth son in 1969 in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Anton Gautama is based in Surabaya, Master in Business Administration in the USA, and is also the founder of ALFALINK, a prominent overseas education consultancy with branches throughout Indonesia.

Brian C. Arnold

/ Cornell University

"Anton Gautama's pictures are full of subtlety, respect, and occassionally even humor. While appearing simple, his photographs reveal the unique and complicated ways each of us create personal spaces. These pictures provide a window into the seemingly banal parts of everyday life, but also offer a clear understanding of how we envision ourselves in the rooms and spaces we create. In a word, there are pictures about everything we call home."

Dr.(H.C.) Ir. Tri Rismaharini, M.T

Mayor of Surabaya

"Thanks to Mr. Anton Gautama who sincerely can give an idea of the beauty's Pabean Market Surabaya that has been aged more than 100 years, through the photographic technique with extraordinary beauty and high quality.
Hopefully, these results will be used as a reference for future generations (in the future) as well as a tool to trace the history of our beloved city of Surabaya."

Celina Lunsford

Artistic Director of Frankfurt Fotografie Forum

"...Gautama shows us how he is exhilarated by experimenting with the sensibilities of colour and lighting. In "Home Sweet Home" as with the his earlier photographs of spice markets, his concept evolves around capturing traditions that he feels are of social documentary importance - and his choices are justified."

Kevin WY Lee

/ Invisible Photographer Asia

"A wonderful typology of the private living spaces of Chinese Indonesians. The melting of Chinese, Indonesian and Dutch icons and structures as seen in the pictures tickled my curiosity."

LensCulture

Editor Magnum Photography Awards

"Anton has a very strong sense of color and composition and have compiled a solid group of images in this selection... This type of work could show in galleries or museums too."

Amanda Swith and Kevin Tully

/ A Smith Gallery

"Anton is a man animated by empathy. His art is quickened by a searching of heart and recognition in people, places and things; both familiar and found. His images that we exhibited in the gallery touched visitors, compelling them to seek us out to know more."